As part of our commitment to providing you with what you need to make an informed decision in the 2026 elections, News 6 joined with the News Collaborative of Central Florida to present the Voting Central Florida 2026 Voter’s Guide.
Tuesday, Aug. 18 is the Florida Statewide Primary election, a mix of party primaries and nonpartisan local elections, such as school board races, judicial races, and county commission races in some counties.
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[ELECTION 2026: Make sure you’re eligible to vote|How to vote by mail|Election Myths]
Florida has a closed primary system, which means only members of a political party may vote in party primaries. To be eligible, a voter had to identify with that party by July 20.
However, judicial races and local races, for the most part, are open to all registered voters, regardless of political party.
Everything you need to know in order to vote in the Aug. 18 Statewide Primary, including how to vote by mail, vote early, and vote on Election Day, can be found in our Election 2026 section HERE.
Sumter County Commission District 4 Republican Primary
The Sumter County Commission has five districts, and these are partisan races, which means you must be a member of a political party to vote in August. All voters will be able to choose from a final slate of candidates in November.
The winner of the Republican primary for the District 4 commission seat will go on to face write-in candidate Ethan Parks in November.
County Commission District 4 encompasses the western part of the county. You can see a map of the district HERE.
The News Collaborative of Central Florida created a list of common questions to ask the candidates. Questionnaires were sent to all candidates.
Not all of the candidates responded. Where candidates did not respond, we have filled out the information to the best of our abilities.
News 6 compiled the candidate responses for Sumter County Commission District 4, emailing and calling the candidates over several weeks. Responses were edited for spelling and grammar, but otherwise left intact.
Jeffrey Bogue - Incumbent
WEBSITE: votebogue.com/
Commissioner Bogue did not answer our questionnaire. However, he did post a profile on the Sumter County Supervisor of Elections website, which you can read HERE.
Michael Squier
WEBSITE: www.facebook.com/Squier4Sumter/
Squier also has a profile on the Sumter County Supervisor of Elections website, which you can read HERE.
Top issues in your race
If elected, what are the THREE most pressing problems you want to address, and what do you suggest to solve them? In the boxes below, please list each issue and how you will address them:
YOUR NUMBER 1 ISSUE and how you plan to address it: Budget accountability and excess spending.
I would push for a DOGE-style, line-by-line efficiency audit of county spending to identify waste, duplication, and areas where residents are not getting the best value for their tax dollars. I would also support bundling compatible projects, using competitive pricing, and pursuing interlocal agreements where possible to reduce costs before asking residents to pay more.
YOUR NUMBER 2 ISSUE and how you plan to address it: Growth management and impact fees.
Sumter County’s road impact fees are currently set at 40% of the maximum allowable rate. I would vote to raise them by the maximum amount allowed each year until they reach 100%, and I would openly argue and debate for other commissioners to do the same. Poor planning should not leave existing residents carrying the burden through higher taxes, higher fees, weaker infrastructure, and lower quality of life. Growth should pay more of its own way.
YOUR NUMBER 3 ISSUE and how you plan to address it: Drinking water, utility infrastructure, and high-demand development.
I would enforce the rules we already have and use every available county tool to keep mega AI data centers and other high-water-demand industrial uses from putting our drinking water, utility costs, and property values at risk. I would call interlocal workshops with experts, surrounding local governments, water management officials, and affected residents so these decisions are made with facts, not guesswork. It affects property values when homes are pushed up against industrial uses, and it affects everyone when water infrastructure is weak or poorly planned.
FOR INCUMBENTS: Why do you deserve to be re-elected in this race? FOR CHALLENGERS AND OPEN SEATS: Why do you deserve to be elected in this race? I deserve to be elected because I am honest, I take the subject matter seriously, and I am willing to do the homework. I am willing to dedicate all my time into doing the work, not splitting it between other responsibilities. I believe residents deserve transparency, direct answers, and a commissioner who will not simply rubber-stamp decisions and then leave the county with weaker property values, weaker property rights, and higher costs. This is my home, and I intend to stay here. I am not running to use this office as a stepping stone. I am running because Sumter County needs someone who will show up, ask hard questions, and put residents first.
According to a University of North Florida poll, Floridians say affordability is their top issue. What are your solutions for dealing with Florida’s affordability issue? A lot of affordability problems come from taxes, fees, utility costs, and government decisions that get passed down to residents. I have watched county officials vote to raise utility costs based more on emotional arguments than hard data. I would vote to keep county services at their current cost whenever we can maintain the same quality of service for the same price. Residents should not have to pay more just because something sounds better or feels better. We need to hold the line on unnecessary increases, demand real numbers, and make sure every cost increase is justified before it reaches taxpayers, homeowners, renters, or small businesses.
Will you vote YES or NO on the constitutional amendment to slash property taxes and explain your position. How would you replace lost revenue – fees and/or service reductions? I would personally vote yes on the ballot. If I were in office, I would aggressively pursue savings before turning to higher fees or service cuts. That means using project bundling, competitive bidding, interlocal agreements, shared services, workshops, and other specific levers that county commissioners have access to.
I would also not be afraid to push the state for grants or transition support for essential county services if those funds are available. Governor DeSantis has publicly discussed using state surplus funds or grants to help local governments maintain necessary services during the transition, and Sumter County should have a commissioner willing to ask for that help, make the case clearly, and fight for our residents instead of immediately reaching into their pockets.
County staff should be used the way they are supposed to be used: to serve the public, provide options, research funding opportunities, identify efficiencies, and carry out the policy direction set by elected officials. Government should be forced to look for efficiencies, outside funding, and better planning before it asks residents to pay more or accept cuts to essential services.
Utility costs are rising for customers in Florida, and the proliferation of data centers is expected to exacerbate that issue. How should Florida’s utility regulators respond? Florida’s utility regulators should respond aggressively, using every lawful tool and expert resource available to them. Rate increases should be based on hard data, not emotional pressure or vague claims. I have watched local officials vote to raise utility costs without clear evidence showing why residents should have to pay more. We need financially responsible adults who will thoroughly review the numbers, challenge unnecessary increases, and protect residents from costs that are not justified.
What do you think is the biggest environmental issue your government should address in Florida? Water. At the county, state, and city level, Florida needs to treat water as one of its most serious issues. We have to protect both the quantity and quality of our drinking water. At the same time that water supplies are under pressure, there are industrial and land-use decisions that could make our water more expensive, more limited, or less safe. We need to be vigilant in more than one direction: conservation, infrastructure, pollution prevention, and strong review of high-demand water users. Water is not just an environmental issue. It is a public health issue, a property rights issue, and an affordability issue.